ataraxion | 001. video; Public Service Announcement

Guessing everyone's feeling a little closer to compos mentis now. Great, that's gonna make this a whole lot easier.

My name is Nathan Petrelli. I'm Senator for New York, elected representative of the people, and recently made Head of Homeland Security by the President himself. It's my job to do what's in the best interests of the people, and in this case I figure that's gonna be easier said than done.

I don't want any of you to worry. Once I get up to speed on the details of what's going on here, I intend to get to the bottom of how we got here, why we were brought here, and how to go about getting back. And I mean how and why, not the bullshit they've been feeding you about jumping and wormholes and the ship needing a crew. There's a malicious intent here I'm gonna address, and then I'm getting everyone back where we belong.

I realise we're not all Americans here, and maybe you think I have no jurisdiction, but I earned the right to intervene the moment I woke up with a tube shoved down my throat, just like everyone else. I want to speak to people who know the most about this place, or be directed toward them. Captain Kirk: you're on my list for starters, but I'd rather speak to the real Captain, rather than some washed up wannabe.

Oh, and before I wrap this up, there's one other thing. A few of you will have spoken to my brother, Peter; he got here during the 'jump' previous to this one, and as I understand it he's been pretty liberal with his imagination ever since. Some time ago my brother convinced himself that he could fly. He stood on top of a twelve story building one day, called me up and told me he was going to show me he could do it. He jumped, and he fell - fortunately only as far as the fire escape - and a couple days later woke up in the hospital with minor injuries. It wasn't long after my father's death, right in the middle of my run for Congress, and I guess he was desperate for attention.

What I'm trying to say is that he's had brushes with depression before - it runs in the family - and he's not exactly stable right now. All of this doesn't make it any easier. If everyone could please be delicate with him, take what he says with a grain of salt, and inform me if it sounds like he's planning to do something that might hurt himself or others. I appreciate it.

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[ He can tell this is private, but he's not even sure how, he just knows he's relieved, that he can finally say all the things he hasn't said to anyone, even if it's not even remotely a good idea. Even if he doesn't know her. He just needs to right now. ]

I called him unstable because he did jump off a building. He's... He had a dream he could fly, and he jumped, and he would have died if I hadn't caught him.

[ It's out before he can actually check it, and then he sighs, shakes his head. He really shouldn't have brought it up, not only because of the response but because the more he thinks about it the more it hurts. The more he remembers how he had cared back then, how he'd flown out in the middle of his campaign to spring Peter from a jail in the back of beyond. And now what does he have of his relationship with his brother? Snark and bitterness. It hurts more than he would ever admit out loud, but it comes across in his words whether he wants it to or not. ]

You call that stable? Jumping off a building because you had a dream? What if I hadn't been there? He thrives on attention, and if you let him he'll run away with it, and you won't be able to bring him back. The wrong person can turn him into a monster, and there's nothing anyone can do if they just let it.

He may be your friend, but he's my brother, and I know what's best for him even if he doesn't.

[ He finally emerges from behind his hands, looking if anything more shaken, more pleading. ]

I can fly. [ He seems almost shocked that he said it out loud, and he looks away again. ] It's not the point. I'm not one of you because I'm taking responsibility for all the bad things we're done and all the bad things we will do, and that's all that matters to anyone looking on from the outside.

I'm sorry I insulted your captain, it was an honest mistake. I was thinking of someone else.

[ She hates to admit this, because she sees this man talking to Havok, Alex, about locking mutants away because of them being a danger to society, but- He sounds like Charles, in a way. Wanting to protect his brother, not even realizing that he sounds so damn harsh about it. That it's likely more destructive than it is helpful, but he's so sure of himself... He's a mutant too, but- What? What makes him so concerned about what things look like on the outside? She'll never understand politics.

Still learning that he has abilities does make her relax some, like maybe she can actually get through to him, on some level. Maybe. ]

I've talked to Peter before, I know what he can do. His abilities. It worked with me, a little bit, but all of our powers are kinda dulled here, unfortunately. But none of us are a danger to anyone here, this isn't like home. We aren't singled out and targeted, we have nobody t fight, and we don't have to hide. You don't have to hide. Because you are one of us, even if that might scare you.

[ Her eyes are bright with hope until he starts talking about taking responsibility, 'bad things we will do', and she's really starting to wonder if the Petrelli's are from her future. Fears it. ]

My older brother is a mutant too. A special. And I can tell you first hand that you trying to make him hide, saying that it's for his own protection? It's not going to save him from anything. It's just going to make him resent you.

And the dream thing... It is strange, but maybe that's how he was meant to learn about his abilities. You can't hold that against him, and you can't think for one second that locking him, or us away is going to keep anyone, human or mutant, safe from what we can do.

[ not to mention the fact that he just won't be able to get away with that here, it's not even a viable threat. so. she kinda just hopes he stops insisting on it so she doesn't have to worry about Erik or anyone else going after him. heh? ]

It doesn't scare me.

[ Defensively. But the truth is that flight has ruined his life. Flying caused his wife's paralysis, flying caused all this mess with Peter in the first place, flying meant he had to be the one to save the world, and flying was what had gotten him kidnapped by Primatech. It wasn't that he wanted the power taken away from him, so he wasn't afraid of it, but did he resent it? Of course he did. Did he want it to stay a secret? Definitely.

He exhaled slowly, looked back up. ]

First thing Pete did when I got here was punch me in the face. I don't think I gotta do anything special to make him resent me any more than he does. And at home? The fact that my own brother is so blinded by his altruism that he doesn't see how complicated the world is? It's a problem. I never wanted him out there stirring things up, getting himself shot at. I wanted him to be safe.

But what I'm doing at home doesn't matter, and I'm sure as hell not gonna try and do it here, if that's what you're afraid of. What would be the point?

[ Raven keeps quiet on how he may or may not feel about his abilities, because alright, yes, she was just working off of her own experiences, the ones of the other X-Men. Whether it was a lack of control or just not being able to accept how different their mutation made them, it all resulted in a kind of fear. She winces a little when he talks more about his relationship with Peter, and some part of her wants to try and comfort him, but maybe not just yet. Instead; ]

If you truly realize that things are different here, then... Just be careful, okay? I'm sure you know how to handle different people, judging by your position and all, but I'm- I'm friends with most of the people that you need to be careful around. [ This is so strange, trying to warn someone against Erik. But really its for everyone's sake; the last thing the ship needs is a true rivalry between its passengers. She'll do whatever it takes to keep things calm. ] And I know that certain things, certain subjects about mutants, specials, and how they fit into society... it's like a trigger for animosity. Just a bad idea, you know?

Where we're from, a group of us just put a stop to World War III, we did it, hand in hand with the government, but as soon as things were done with, they turned their weapons on us just because they saw just how powerful our abilities made us. Even after we used them to do good, after we put our lives on the line for the huma-- the world. [ a small sigh. ]

I'm only telling you this because I hope you understand when I say that you have to be careful. I'm not trying to tell you what to do or what to think, but trust me when I say that yes, there are people here that are afraid someone might come along and try to lock us up here. And that fear translates to anger very quickly in some. I'm just trying to avoid conflict, that's all.

[ He listens intently, because it sounds just like something that could have happened in his world. The fact that he's the one leading that offensive is the only thing that makes it different, because he has powers of his own. He nods after a moment, understanding. ]

I hear what you're saying.

I think the moment you end up with people with powers, all kinds of questions come up. Who's gonna take responsibility when people get hurt, what's the law gonna do, how's anyone gonna keep any measure of control when people can phase their way right out of a net. There's fear on both sides, that's what it's most important to remember.

I can't promise to back down on what I was trying to achieve back at home. I believe in it, otherwise I wouldn't have taken it to the President in the first place. I own it, and I'm not gonna do a U-turn or make excuses for myself.

But I do understand, and the last thing I want to do it start a fight when we got other things to worry about.

001. video; Public Service Announcement

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